


to sleep (under duress)

by halfeatenmoon



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Gen, let Zagreus rest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-17 08:48:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28722357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/halfeatenmoon/pseuds/halfeatenmoon
Summary: Zagreus needs an assist down in Asphodel. Thanatos is busy. Hypnos fills in.
Comments: 8
Kudos: 107
Collections: Genuary 2021





	to sleep (under duress)

Zagreus heard a familiar bell toll as he staggered into the next chamber and despite himself, he smiled. He was exhausted, having badly miscalculated a deal with Chaos that left him struggling with a fraction of his usual endurance. He knew that if he could survive this next chamber of spitting lava pools and violent shades, the curse would expire, but he wasn't confident he could make it - until he heard the bell. He hated going into a contest with Thanatos _knowing_ he would probably lose because he couldn't afford to take any risks, but at least he was going to survive.

That's what he thought, at least, until the figure who materialised in front of him was wearing a sleepy grin that Thanatos would never be caught with.

"Hypnos? What are you doing here?"

"Is that any way to greet an old friend?"

"It is when you're impersonating Thanatos. What happened to him?"

"Oh, he's busy right now! Mortals to kill, you know how it is. Ares keeping him busy. So he asked me to lend you a hand instead!"

Zagreus lifted Stygius in front of him, ready to fight after all, although he grimaced at the weight. He wouldn't collapse under the weight of his own sword, but blood and darkness, he was tired. "Thanks for trying, Hypnos, but I'd rather fight them bare-handed than rely on you to save me."

"Okay!" said Hypnos, brightly. "You should tell it to that guy, though!"

Zagreus whipped his head around to see a bone-raker lunging for him. Its claws were a hand's breadth away from his face before he could react - until it suddenly crumpled to the ground. And stayed there.

Zagreus poked it with his toe. The flesh sizzled a little, but didn't move.

"Why is it still here?"

"Of course it's still here. It's asleep, not dead."

As Zagreus stared, there was another thud behind him. He jumped and turned around to see another bone-raker lying face down on the ground, its claws almost at his ankles.

"See, I can help! And it looks like you need it. They both would have gotten you without me!"

"Blood and darkness," Zagreus muttered. "Well, let's see how this goes, I guess."

He hoisted Stygius on his shoulder and launched himself into a gaggle of shades, only to have them all drop snoring at his feet, which prompted him to swear again and Hypnos to giggle. The rest of the battle went much the same way. Every time Zagreus swung at an enemy, it dropped to the ground and he stumbled over it, the weight of the sword pulling him off balance without a body to bite into. By the time it was over, he was even more exhausted, but not one shade had left a mark on him.

"Don't worry about thanking me!" said Hypnos, with the manner of someone who hadn't expected thanks in the first place.

Zagreus sighed. "Okay, I was wrong. You were very helpful. You win."

"It's not about victory! It's about helping!"

"Well, thanks, then."

Hypnos beamed, and Zagreus smiled briefly back at him before he looked towards the next barge. "All I needed out of this chamber was to survive. It's not like I really wanted to find out what gift I'd get from you if I won."

"Oh, but I do have a gift." Hypnos mouth was suddenly at Zagreus' ear. He tried to jerk away, but his body barely responded, as if it were suddenly weighed down by the armour of ten heroes at once.

"You bastard," he groaned, as he sank to his knees. "You... you spelled me."

"Hush," said Hypnos, softly. "You need the rest. I'll watch over you."

"I don't rest," Zagreus mumbled, even as his eyes drifted shut against his will. A lie, just this once, as his weary body sank onto the stone and he drifted off to sleep.


End file.
